Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

What Got Chooch Tossed?

So what exactly earned Carlos Ruiz an ejection last night?

Persistency, maybe.

Home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom ejected Ruiz in the top of the third inning of a 5-2 loss to the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Ruiz questioned a 0-1 pitch to Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa. Cederstrom called the pitch a ball, but Ruiz thought it was a strike.

“That’s a good pitch,” Ruiz said to Cederstrom.

“No, that’s a ball,” the umpire apparently shouted back.

“That’s a good pitch,” Ruiz repeated, turning his head to look at Cederstrom.

Ejected.

Cederstrom declined comment to reporters last night, referring questions to the Commissioner’s Office. Its understanding is Cederstrom warned Ruiz about arguing balls and strikes, but when Ruiz kept arguing the call he got tossed.

Ruiz said he uttered no obscenities.

“I didn’t say anything bad,” he said. “I didn’t say anything bad. That’s what surprised me. A lot of the umpires will say, ‘You know what, Ruiz? I think you were right.’ Or they will say, ‘I’ve got that pitch inside.’ OK.”

Not this time.

*

Jim Salisbury and I co-authored the book The Rotation, which is now available. Check it out here! Here are our upcoming book signings:

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.